Jacqui Smith's marriage is 'strong'

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has insisted that her relationship with her husband remains "strong" despite the embarrassing revelation that the taxpayer paid for him to watch two pornographic films.

She told the Sunday Telegraph that she was "mortified" when it emerged the pay-per-view movies had been inadvertently submitted as part of her expense claim for running the family home.

The mother of two would not be drawn on reports that husband Richard Timney, whom she employs from public funds as her paid assistant, had been exiled to the sofa.

But she said: "We've got a strong relationship both personally and professionally - in terms of the work he does in my constituency office. And it's still strong now."

Ms Smith, who told the newspaper she had not considered quitting over the incident, said her anger had been over the fact that the films were claimed for.

"I was angry and mortified that I had done it, that we had done it. I thought that that was the wrong thing to do and that's why what we immediately did was apologise and pay the money back. That was what I was angry about. It should never have got within a millions miles of being an expenses claim. That's why I've apologised for it."

Ms Smith told the newspaper the couple's 13- and 10-year-old sons were "fine".

Asked about the sofa reports, she said: "I think I should be very open about my expenses, but there are bits of my private life that I don't think should be open to public scrutiny."

The cost of the adult films was submitted as part of the Home Secretary's claim for running the house in her Redditch constituency that she shares with her husband and children.

She is able to do so because it is officially registered as her second home, while her "main" residence is her sister's home in London where she stays while working in the capital.